Rolling Plains Adventures

Spring Snow goose hunting

2012-02-29T15:27:00.000-06:00

Frustration, long hours, lack of sleep, mountains of decoys, the whine of electronic callers, and ultimately success are all things that go along with hunting snow geese. All but the last one are things that happen day in and day out in the snow goose field and while success is something that you have to earn to achieve, it has to be one of the best feelings in the world when you finally get it all right and the birds decoy for in your face action. While the learning curve for hunting snow geese is just like that of hunting Canadas or Mallards, the journey along the way can make anyone want to give it up and sell off their gear, myself included. Ultimately though, the tried and true waterfowler will press on trying to obtain a small piece of the action for themselves. Sometimes the best way to shorten this curve is to do your homework in the field and during the off-season. Learning from some of the pros is one of the ways to quickly start changing things in the right direction, and after that it is up to you.

Some many things come to mind when we start thinking of snow goose hunting. Electronic callers and their placement along with the appropriate sounds, decoy spreads-layouts-numbers, scouting, and timing are all things that come into play. Even the best spread won’t do you much good if there are no geese in the area, and while e-callers are a definite bonus, blaring the wrongs sounds is one way to see more tails than heads. If you can follow in the footsteps, so to speak of guys that have already jumped over these hurdles, you can easily learn the fundamentals and eliminate as many possible snafu’s as possible before you start.

Pheasant Facts

2012-02-22T21:03:00.000-06:00

Pheasant Facts

Roosters will range in weight from 3.5 to 4 lbs (1.6 to 1.8 kg)
Hens will range in weight from 2 to 2.5 lbs (.9 to 1.1 kg)
The insulating effect of habitat moderates windchills, thus providing a warmer and less energy-demanding microclimate for pheasants (and other wildlife)
Birds, like dogs and cows, do not sweat to air-condition their body, they must pant (rapid inhaling and exhaling) to remove excess body heat
Through most of the growing season, pheasants can survive on the moisture they consume in insects and the morning dew on vegetation
Male pheasants are called 'Roosters' or 'Cocks' and females are called 'Hens'
A typical rooster accumulates a harem of three to seven hens
After hatching, pheasant chicks immediately begin growing flight feathers, and are capable of short flights at 2 weeks
Pheasants do not migrate, they stay relatively local all year long
On flat ground, a ringneck pheasant can run at speeds of 8-10mph
Pheasants can fly up to 48mph
During egg laying, the hen seeks out calcium and protein. Her diet will contain 10 times more calcium than the rooster's diet
The average length of a hen is about 20" (50.8 cm) where the average length of a rooster is approximately 36" (91.4 cm)
Pheasants main predators include: Fox, Raccoon and Skunk (as chicks) and Man, Fox, Hawks and Owls
Pheasants, a native to China, were brought across the Pacific in 1881 by Judge Owen Nickerson Denny in an inital batch of 30 (with 26 surviving the journey)
Pheasants eat berries, seeds, young shoots and insects and prefer open country with brushy cover
Through most of the growing season, pheasants can survive on the moisture they consume in insects and the morning dew on vegetation
During the summer, insects comprise considerably more of the chick's diet and weed seeds more of the adult's diet
Hens will make from one to four attempts at nesting during the spring nesting season
Pheasants are in the Phasianidae family and are cousins of Quail and Partridge
The spring ratio of hens to roosters is usually about 3:1
30% annual survival rate and only 2-3% of population lives to age 3, whether they're hunted or not
Pheasants, a native to China, were brought across the Pacific in 1881 by Judge Owen Nickerson Denny in an inital batch of 30 (with 26 surviving the journey)

Whitetail Deer Antler Growth And Shed Season

2012-02-08T12:05:00.000-06:00

White-tailed deer shed their antlers every year prior to the re-growth of new ones. It may surprise you to find out that the entire shedding process takes only two to three weeks to complete, and of course the re-growth phase takes place over the summer up into very early fall. Bucks have antlers throughout spring, summer, and most of the winter, but shed them sometime between January and April (depending upon the animal and latitude), after the rutting season comes to an end. A buck can carry-on without antlers at this time of year because they do not need to fight-off other bucks for territory and does.
Deer antlers differ from the hollow horns of cattle in that they comprise solid bone tissue with a honeycombed structure. Pedicles, the skin-covered nubs protruding from a buck’s skull, serve as a base for antler growth and support the deer’s antlers. However, keep in mind that the pedicles are permanent fixtures on the deer’s forehead, and are the point at which antlers separate from the deer each year.
During the first 8 to 9-months, the pedicles grow and begin to appear on a buck fawn‘s forehead (nubbin buck). Then, the buck actually begins antler growth as a yearling buck (first set of antlers). Each year the buck will go through the antler growing process and shed its antlers. As the deer matures, the antlers typically increase in mass, beam length, and point length. They also will add points in many cases, but not always.

During growth, antlers are covered with a sensitive skin commonly referred to as “velvet.” This velvet is filled with blood vessels that constantly feed the antlers the vitamins and the minerals necessary for bone building. Antler growth demands a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein, and energy, so adequate native forage or supplemental feed must be available to meet these requirements for maximum antler growth.
Antler growth can range from two to four months depending upon the individual buck. After this time, a hardened ring forms at the base of the antlers (burr) that shuts off blood flow to the velvet-covered antlers. As a result, the velvet deteriorates, dries up, and falls off, often assisted by the white-tailed buck, which rubs his antlers against tree bark.

At this point, the antler growing cycle is complete, the buck will prepare for the rut, and the shedding cycle will resume after the fall and winter breeding season. So now is the time to get out and look for those trophy sheds before the rodents eat them away!

NoDak: A First Trip to the Mecca of Hunting

2012-02-02T21:26:00.000-06:00

Blog post written by a Rolling Plains Adventures client this past fall

http://www.firstlite.com/campfire/2011/10/26/nodak-a-first-trip-to-the-mecca-of-hunting

NoDak!

I've never been to North Dakota before. All I knew about the state was that a) It is currently enjoying one of the only budget surplus positions in the Union, due to the booming oil industry, b) it is sandwiched somewhere between here and Michigan, and c) it supposedly offers some of the best all around hunting opportunities in the world. Being an avid bird hunter, it was definitely on my bucket list, so when a coworker and friend offered me up the chance to experience it first hand, I jumped at it. I didn't learn much about their fiscal situation and I saw a few oil refineries on the interstate but I definitely was able to confirm point C--the hunting is as good as advertised.

Ahhhh...there it is.
My friend pulled up to my house in South Central Idaho at 5am on Thursday morning. We had already packed up his Tundra the day before, so I warily loaded a few items into his truck, including my trusted and beat up 20 gauge over/under scatter gun, my boots and my dog, Steve, a wirehaired pointing griffon.
We drove the 13 hours to Bizmarck, ND in a blur, with the radar detector beeping now and then and the only stops at gas stations and the Theodore Roosevelt National Park where Steve and my buddy's dog, Magnum, eagerly relieved themselves and completely ignored the picturesque views of the Badlands offered up from the view point. In Bizmarck, we stocked up on lunch and breakfast foods, liquor, beer, and advil. Then we drove the remaining 25 minutes to McKenzie to Rolling Plains Adventures, our home and hunting grounds for the next four days and five nights.

The Scene

Rolling Plains Adventures is the ultimate hunting lodge for the true, working hunter. The birds are wild and not pin raised, the white tail deer are absolute specimens, the sharp tail grouse plentiful, and the waterfowling opportunities abundant. You won't find an executive chef there or any sort of a wine list. Instead, you find truly engaging hosts in Jeremy and Jay, two brothers who are converting their family ranch of several thousand acres into a hunter's paradise. I really can't say enough about Jeremy and Jay--they were the perfect hosts for our group. They didn't hold our hands nor instruct us on where we had to hunt on a given day. Instead, they offered helpful information on where they've planted what crops, where the birds have been recently, and then they'd simply let us loose for a day. Of course they offer the full guided experience with their own dogs, etc., if that's what you want, but our group consisted of experienced hunters who preferred to blaze our own trails. We opted to have the lodge prepare our dinners every night while we made our own breakfasts and lunches. The food was home cooked, hearty goodness. Nothing overly fancy but just what you craved after walking 15 miles in a given day. Both the brothers are extremely personable, funny and very knowledgeable sportsmen, but I really appreciated the fact that they respected our own experience and didn't force feed us with information.

The sunrises were just so-so at the ranch.
The accommodations consisted of a very nicely finished cabin for the six of us. The cabin had everything--washer/dryer, flat screen TV with digital cable, full kitchen, nice bedrooms and a very nice porch to drink cold beers on after your morning hunt.

Hunt 'em up!

The first morning, four of us headed out to a zone called Area 25, a beautiful plot of land a few miles down the road that had literally everything you could ask for as a pheasant hunter: Standing corn rows, a huge crop of sunflower rows, massive oak tree groves, a few different ditches complete with water and cat tails, brambles, fences, and every other form of cover you could imagine. Alas, it was time to shake off the rust. I took Steve off to skirt the corn, away from the other dogs where I could remind him of the rules and let him tear ass around since he'd been in a car for 13 hours the day before and had a surplus amount of energy. We were about 200 yards away from the truck when I looked up to flights of sharp tail grouse soaring out of the corn towards a neighboring field. They called as they glided overhead but I was slow and disoriented and hesitated, thinking at first that they were hen pheasant in the low, rising sun. Needless to say, I should have walied on them.

No shortage of cover on the ranch.
A few minutes later after rounding the corner of the corn rows, Steve suddenly disappeared into the corn field. I activated his beeper collar (a must-have for any pointer owner) so that I could tell where he was by the "beep...........beep.........beep" it gave off as he worked out of site. Sure enough, the slow pulse suddenly changed to a quick beeping--something I like to call the "bird bomb." I hustled into the corn towards the sound and found Steve on point.

Steve on his first point of the trip.
I calmly repeated "whoa" as Steve's tail twitched and walked around him, and then whooooosh....three pheasant hens erupted in front of me. Steve looked at me in his "WTF" expression after I let them fly away without a shot, and we continued on our way.

Over the next hour, we flushed two roosters but I didn't have a shooting lane. We flushed another hen. Then, while working a row of trees with nice cover, Steve began to act strangely, flash pointing but not in his normal manner. I kicked a bush and there was a skunk--tail up--who gave me a nice little musk to wear for the rest of the day. Steve ran away unscathed. Typical.
We returned to the cabin birdless and I have to admit, I was a little discouraged. This was NoDak--I was supposed to be day-drunk by now with a gaggle of birds in a pile on the porch, right? After a quick lunch, we went to a different zone that offered a wetlands landscape with tons of cat tails, water and Russian Olive stands. It neighbored a corn field and looked pretty good. An hour later, I had my limit of three roosters and my buddy had two. I was relieved and happy. After a quick beer break, we headed out to a plot right by the cabin to try and fill my buddy's bag for the day. Steve quickly located a rooster--no--a terradactyl that my buddy quickly shot out of the sky. It was a true NoDak ring neck.

Chris and a NoDak terradactyl.
The next couple days went by in a blur. The rest of the crew had shown up and we now had six hunters, seven dogs, and lot of energy. We pushed cover crop fields with blockers at the end. We would walk up to 15 miles a day, the dogs probably covering closer to 60 on a given day. We shot birds, passed on hens, and saw MONSTER white tail deer every day. The lodge offers white tail hunting, complete with tree stands, game cameras, etc. and this has been added to my bucket list based on the specimens I saw. There was a very nice gentleman from Wisconsin who was there chasing white tail. He reported being surrounded by deer every day, but it was "Mr. Basket" that he was after--an old, 10 or 11 point buck with a rack like a basket that skirted his zone repeatedly. I don't know if he harvested Mr. Basket or not as he was only on day three when we left but he was very excited about his prospects and said that it was the best deer hunting he'd ever encountered in his several years of bow hunting.

Passion Fodder

It was the final day of pheasant hunting when I had my "moment." On the long drive out to ND, Chris and I had agreed that every great hunting trip had a "moment"---that one memory created that you will always use to benchmark every trip thereafter. It's the defining kill or encounter or mishap of the trip, the split second that is permanently etched into your brain that keeps your chasing game for years to come.
For me, it was my young dog working in front of me on that final day, quartering back and forth, then obviously scenting birds. My thumb went to my safety as I shrugged my shoulders to fit my vest better, clearing the way for the butt of my shotgun. As we worked towards an old railroad berm, Steve suddenly froze in front of me. Now you must know that Steve is an odd dog, with odd mannerisms and often laughable puppy mishaps. So sometimes I think Steve has stopped on point, when he's actually squatting down to relieve himself, looking back at me like, "what's up?" When Steve froze, I glanced down at him and he was not peeing. He was literally shivering with excitement, his front leg up in that trademark pointer stance, his body all penciled out in a sideways, tweaked-but-frozen-solid position. He was pointing directly at the berm, a mere five yards in front of me. I excitedly walked around him, reminding him to "whoa." I kicked the brush on the berm but nothing happened. I then walked up the berm and looked down into the cat tails on the other side, but nothing doing. I quickly looked back at Steve who was still shaking and on point when WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH! About 9 pheasant exploded in front of me from the cat tails on the other side of the berm. I put a bead on a rooster and dropped him, swung, and shot another. The other seven roosters and hens flew to safety, but the damage was done. Steve hurriedly retrieved the two birds and carried on but I was frozen, grinning ear to ear, shaking my head. Just then my phone rang and it was one of my close hunting buddies calling from home to check in on my trip. "Dude," I said without a greeting. "Steve just had the nastiest, dirtiest point on a huge covey and I got the double. I could quit now and be happy as a clam."

The double. Note Steve's feet and toes--this place is brutal on dogs.
Steve had pointed several birds already that trip, including a few pairs and coveys, but for some reason that covey was just perfect. His excitement, the scenery, the confusion, the flush and the double. That memory alone will keep me hunting these damned birds for as long as I can walk. It was everything I wanted from North Dakota, unfolding in only a few seconds.
That night we stuffed our faces with delicious pasta and meat sauce, beers, cocktails and then wearily packed up. We left early the next morning and I don't think Chris nor I said a word for the first four hours of the drive back. We were content, tired and just happy.
And so I tip my hat to you, North Dakota, and I will be back---hopefully during Steve's lifetime and hopefully with a bow. It is truly a sportsman's paradise and it was everything I hoped it could be.

Footnotes

A few notes and some advice to the new-to-NoDak hunter:
1. If possible, be prepared to rotate dogs. We hunted our dogs nonstop for four days and it was simply too much, even for a young pup like Steve. He got home with shredded pads, a pretty decent cut on his chest from barbwire (despite his protective vest) and has slept for nearly 48 hours. Yes, they want to hunt ALL OF THE TIME but I would put myself in a position to rest him more next time, rotating dogs between myself and my buddies, even if it slows production down. Fortunately, I brought antibiotics and always carry a K9 first aid kit in my vest. The terrain, cover and land is very, very rugged there. Bring tons of dog food. My dog ate about 75% more than his normal intake. And always take the time to stop often to water your dog, as often as they'll drink. I probably stopped every five to ten minutes to give Steve a quick drink and definitely made a difference. Remember that your dog will keep hunting long after it's dangerously dehydrated and it's your responsibility to stop them and water them.
2. Bring everything you need. These lodges are often 30 minutes to the nearest stores, etc. That takes an hour out of your day if you need anything at all.
3. Research your outfit. Call them and make sure they run the sort of program you want. If you want fancy, check their menu. If you want freedom, make sure they're not overly strict as to your itinerary. Rolling Plains was excellent but I would have been bummed had they been too "hands-on."
4. Dress for wild weather swings. The mornings were low thirties and cold. By 10am, it was in the low 60's. Rain can periodically set in for short bursts. It snowed the final morning. Obviously, First Lite wool really shines here--I was the only one who wasn't constantly shedding and replacing layers in my Labrador top and base layer system.
5. Bring a cooler and a lot of beers. Nothing is as rewarding as a cold beverage after hiking your ass of all day.

New Rolling Plains Adventures Hunting Promo Video

2012-01-29T20:35:00.000-06:00

This video shows some pheasant, goose, duck, coyote, and deer hunting clips taken from Rolling Plains Adventures. North Dakota has some of the best hunting and this video proves it. Let us know what you think!

Coyote Hunting

2012-01-24T16:48:00.000-06:00

The winter months in North Dakota is an excellent time to get out and go coyote hunting. They roam the prairie in search of food and are easily seen in the snow. The best tactics for hunting during this time is using bait calls or hunting over bait. If you are looking for something to do during the winter months, don't miss out on the experience of a coyote hunt!

Winter has finally reached the Dakota's

2012-01-12T11:27:00.000-06:00

Old man winter has finally set in the past couple of days after above normal temps throughout the winter season. We still don't have any amounts of snowfall yet though. The pheasants, deer, and other wildlife are all looking as healthy as ever in these mild conditions. With it already being mid January, the antler growth on deer should be excellent this summer and the pheasant populations should be very strong going into nesting season.
This really has been en enjoyable winter season to live in North Dakota!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T11:30:00.000-06:00

2012 is now upon us and it is time to start gearing up for the new season coming our way. Hopefully, everyone has made their New Year resolutions and will try to achieve them. Rolling Plains Adventures goals for this year are completing the Grand Lodge project, landscape the ranch, build some permanent deer / hunting blinds, enhance the wetlands area for waterfowl, build a new dog kennel facility, and more! Hopefully we will have plenty of time to accomplish all of these projects.
From all of us at Rolling Plains Adventures, we wish you a Happy New Year!

Late Season Archery

2011-12-26T15:29:00.000-06:00

The Whitetail Deer have started to herd up and move into their winter groups. We have many of the large bucks patterned once again and they move like clock work to their feeding areas. One of the herds has increased to around 200 deer, many of which are bucks. Over half of those bucks will make Pope and Young, while a few will make Boone and Crocket score.
Only a couple weeks left in the season, so if you haven't filled your tag, let us put you on a buck of a lifetime!

Last Minute Gift Ideas!

2011-12-19T10:18:00.000-06:00

Only a few days remain until Christmas and you still haven't found all your gifts! Well how about a Rolling Plains Adventures gift certificate? Gift certificates work for a ranch vacation experience, or an outdoor hunting/fishing adventure. Let them create memories that will last a lifetime, and give them the gift that keeps on giving!

Late Season Pheasant Hunting

2011-12-14T14:35:00.000-06:00

It is mid December and the snowfall is minimal. Pheasants have started grouping up and moving into their winter hot spots. Now is the time to hit the fields and chase these wild animals. Plenty of roosters around and the weather forecast looks nice for the rest of the season.

Christmas is aproaching!

2011-12-06T18:23:00.000-06:00

Rolling Plains Adventures welcomes family groups, corporate groups, schools, couples getaways, small businesses, and more to the ranch. Let us host your Christmas party this season or any other event you would like us to host. Dates are filling fast so plan your next event today!

Another Successful Deer Season and BBD!

2011-11-21T21:22:00.000-06:00

Rifle season this year has recently closed this past Sunday and was a huge success. One of the guys hunting at Rolling Plains Adventures harvested a buck that is currently leading the BIG buck contest this year. This buck is a perfect ten pointer with heavy mass, a wide spread, and really tall.
The deer was first spotted about a mile away from where we were glassing, so a stalk was planned. After about two hours of crawling/walking, we were within 75 yards of the big guy. He was laying down with 2 other bucks and a doe. It was hard to get a perfect shot with him laying down in the heavy cover, so we waited until he stood up. This lasted about an hour until the doe stood up and minutes later the buck followed. The sound of the bullet hitting the target was a dead giveaway that we had a BIG BUCK DOWN! We slowly walked up to the deer, one step at a time waiting for what we would find. I could only smile with excitement as one of our clients started jumping up and down with joy after he had seen what he harvested.
This was yet another great hunt that made it into the memory books. Congrats Lee on the monster buck of 2011!

Migration is here!

2011-11-06T20:53:00.000-06:00

The migration has finally hit Rolling Plains Adventures. We have been harvesting pin tails, green wing teal, blue wing teal, canvasbacks, mallards, gad walls, wigeon, shoveler, red heads, and so much more. The fields are loaded with all these ducks, snow geese, Canada geese and more. If you are thinking about hunting waterfowl this season, this is the time. We still have a few openings to get in on all this action!

2011 Deer Bow Season right around the corner

2011-08-31T22:16:00.000-05:00

The 2011 deer bow season is looking to be great. We have received so many excellent photos from our deer cams of nice mature bucks so far. Bow hunters will start to enter deer camp tomorrow with high hopes of bagging that buck of a lifetime. If anyone would like to be added to our deer cam mailing via e-mail, please send us your e-mail address to hunting@rollingplainsadventures.com and say "add to deercam."
From everyone at Rolling Plains Adventures, we would like to wish everyone luck on the kick off of bow season! Happy Hunting!

Rolling Plains Adventures summer update

2011-07-28T08:28:00.000-05:00

Rolling Plains Adventures has been very busy these last few months. Some of the activities that have taken place have been cattle drives, horseback riding, ATV rides, lodging vacations, ranch rodeo's, cattle branding, and so much more.
The Grand Lodge has really been coming along as well. The windows are all in and most of the doors, all framing has been finished, tubs and showers installed, electrical started, roof is half on, and more!
Waterfowl season is looking like it will be one of the best ever! The number of ducks/geese in the area is extremely high with such a great hatch. Everyone that has their trip for this fall booked already is going to experience some excellent hunting!

Grand Lodge update

2011-07-04T18:15:00.000-05:00

The Grand Lodge construction progress has been moving along. The pace has picked up this past month and the Lodge is starting to take shape. The goal is to be ready by September 1st, 2011.
In the past couple of weeks the basement level has been framed, new dormers put in, main entrance put up, new sewer system installed, old roof cleaned off from shingles and shakes, pillars poured, and so much more.
Everyone that has their hunting trips booked for this fall will be some of the first to enjoy the new Lodge.

Antler Growth at Rolling Plains Adventures

2011-06-12T09:49:00.000-05:00

Went out scouting for buck groups yesterday and spotted one bachelor group of 5 bucks hanging together. All 5 deer had very impressive antler growth for this time of the year, so judging by the nutrition and moisture available, its going to be a great year for antler growth. The bucks were all eating on our clover plots, which is very high in protein. The new food plots will be an excellent source in the fall, which are where some of our deer stands are. Rolling Plains Adventures staff is sure excited about this falls season!

Rolling Plains Adventures update

2011-05-25T20:56:00.000-05:00

We have installed the 38 foot beam in the main lodge. It was a tough project, but it looks amazing. The food plots are also underway at the ranch. We have added several new plots along with the existing plots. The pheasants, ducks, deer, and all sorts of wildlife are going to love them!

Lodge progress

2011-05-19T19:22:00.000-05:00

Its been a busy couple of days working on the Main Lodge, but there has been plenty of progress. The main floor is almost complete with the framing and now it is time to add the support beam. Heating and cooling specialists are putting together plans on how to make everything work with the new floor plans.

Ranch Lodging Season

2011-05-19T00:30:00.000-05:00

Rolling Plains Adventures is pleased to announce that summer vacation packages are underway for the 2011 season. Now offering horseback riding, cattle drives, campfires, sand volleyball, cattle branding, roping, rodeo, and so much more! Plan your vacation today at Rolling Plains Adventures....

Interview at Rolling Plains Adventures

2011-05-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

http://www.kxnet.com/video.asp?ArticleId=775607&VideoId=44648

Click the link above to see a quick video of some updates at Rolling Plains Adventures.

Main Lodge Remodel Update

2011-05-14T14:54:00.000-05:00

Rolling Plains Adventures has been working very hard on the Main Lodge this year with plans to complete the project by this fall. The tear down process was complete in April and new construction started in April as well. The lodge will consist of a corporate kitchen, large bar, corporate room, huge dining area, open log staircase, 4 private suites, large deck, and so much more. We will be giving updates on here all summer long, so stay tuned for future progress. Also, be sure to check out our Rolling Plains Adventures fan page on facebook for updated photos and our website at http://www.rollingplainsadventures.com/

Rolling Plains Adventures